4. Financial incentives

4.1 Tune Up Canberra

Tune Up Canberra is a $2 million dollar-for-dollar ACT Government grants program that offers financial incentives to encourage owners of commercial office buildings to make their buildings more energy and water efficient.

Tune Up Canberra is a two-stage program. Owners of Class 5 commercial properties with more than 1500m2 in gross floor area can apply for Stage 1 (Preparation of a Tune Up Report) or Stage 2 funding (Capital Works).

Five application rounds are being held between 12 April 2010 and 3 June 2011.

4.2 ACT Environment Grants 2010-2011

The ACT Government had budgeted $225,000 for 2010-2011 under the ACT Environment Grants program. Grants are worth up to $20,000 each.

The program is open to incorporated community groups and not-for-profit organisations who want to undertake projects that complement the ACT Government's environmental priorities. Some of the projects that are included in the funding priority are those that:

• support community engagement in implementing nature conservation strategies;
• encourage responsible management of pets for the protection of biodiversity;
• promote sustainability;
• promote local involvement in environmental activities that could extend to bush or urban park rehabilitation and recovery campaigns; and
• encourage wise use of resources and reduced negative environmental impacts.

4.3 Commercial Bathroom Retrofit Program

Commercial Bathroom Retrofit Program is designed to provide building owners and managers with a financial incentive to improve water efficiency in their buildings. Under this program, the Government will provide a rebate up to the value of $20,000 per building to participants on a dollar for dollar basis.

4.4 ACT Electricity Feed-in Tariff Scheme

ACT Electricity Feed-in Tariff Scheme rewards households and businesses that install renewable energy generation (e.g. solar panels on buildings rooftops) by paying a premium price for the electricity they generate. For each unit of renewable energy generated, households and businesses are paid at a rate greater than the retail price they would usually pay to buy the same amount of energy they use. Stage 1 of the Scheme aimed at householders and small business commenced on 1 March 2009.

From 1 March 2009 until 30 June 2010 the premium price was 50.05 cents per kWh generated for systems up to 10kW. For systems between 10kW and 30kW a rate of 40.04 cents per kWh was paid. From 1 July 2010 until 30 June 2011 the premium price is 45.7 cents per kWh generated for systems up to 30kW.

In September 2010, the ACT Government expanded the scheme to include medium- and large-scale renewable energy generation.

The expanded feed-in tariff scheme has the following elements;

• An overall scheme cap of 240 MW of generating capacity;
• Large-scale generation category for generators larger than 200 KW (category cap of 210 MW);
• Medium-scale generation category for generators between 30KW and 200kw (category cap of 15 MW); and,
• Existing micro-generation category (household rooftop) up to 30KW (category cap of 15 MW).

The expansion of the scheme will occur in two steps. First, medium-scale generation suitable for larger areas such as shopping centres, warehouses and large office buildings, will occur first through amendments to the existing Electricity Feed-In (Renewable Energy Premium) Act 2008.

The second step will involve the introduction of separate legislation for large-scale generation with provision of premium payments to be allocated through an auction process.

The Government will make 40MW available to auction as the first tranche of the large-scale generation category. The auction is expected to occur in the first half of 2011.

Where there is an existing rainwater tank, the ACT Government offers a rebate on the cost of connecting it to plumbing inside the home.

4.5 Community Energy Grants

The ACT Government has committed to establish a $1 million fund to enable community and not-for-profit groups to improve the energy performance of buildings they occupy and to promote energy efficiency to their stakeholders. Specific funding priorities, eligibility requirements and assessment criteria are under development.

4.6 HEAT Energy Audit

Heat Energy Audit program provides subsidised home energy audits to identify priority areas for energy efficiency improvement Auditors will provide a written report which sets out a plan to capture the energy savings identified. Homes pay only $30 for the audit from the Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT).

Homeowners who spend at least $2000 on energy efficiency improvements identified by the audit will be eligible for a $500 rebate and a refund of the $30 audit fee.

Eligible for the program are owners of existing homes in the ACT built before the requirement for a 4 star home energy rating was introduced in 1996. The dwelling can be owner-occupied or rented and includes all types of detached and attached houses. Tenants may also have an energy audit undertaken if they inform their landlords.

4.7 Rainwater Tank Rebate

The ACT Government offers rebates for the installation of eligible rainwater tanks with a connection to plumbing inside the home (for example to the toilet or washing machine) on residential properties connected to ACTEW Corporation's water supply network.

Where there is an existing rainwater tank, the ACT Government offers a rebate on the cost of connecting it to plumbing inside the home.